We hear it from many parents, "Wow, $250 to send my kid to camp!? I remember when I went to camp for $35 for the week!" It is expensive; we know that; the camp staff all have children and we know how expensive raising a child can be.
Can I share with you what other camps are charging? I have picked 5 camps in Iowa that are similar to Hidden Acres in what they offer; Hidden Acres is the largest of these camps.
Pine Lake-Eldora- regular camp $295 early registrationand $320 late registration
Inspiration Hills- NW Iowa- regular camp $260 early registration and $270 late registration
Village Creek- Lansing- regular camp $285 early registration and $305 for late registration
River Side- Story City- regular camp $345 early registration and $360 for late registration
Hidden Acres- Dayton- regular camp $250 early registration and $260 for late registration
That doesn't take the sting off you when you write the check out to Hidden Acres, but it does show you we are not out of line in what we charge. During our retreat schedule, I hear from people that say, "For what you offer, you are too cheap!" We have tried to keep our costs down so that our guests feel like they got a great value for their dollar. I don't know about you, but I hate to go out and eat, pay a high price, and the food and service was lousy... I feel I was taken to the cleaners.
We also have changed our policy about emails; and we have heard a few complaints; now parents have to pay BunkOne a fee to send emails to their child while at camp. Let me tell you why we did this. We were getting up to 500 emails per day; we were having to hire a full time person in the office to manage this flood of emails; we were going through a ream of paper and lots of ink each day so that parents could say "Hi". We want the camper to receive mail, but felt that our costs were getting out of hand. We also spoke to several other camps: NONE of them were doing what we have done for years. They would not accept emails for free. I have not heard of another camp that feeds parents and family on opening night and on closing night like Hidden Acres does.
I tell you all this parents, so that you can understand a little bit about how much it costs to operate the camp. Even at $250 per week, your child is subsidized by our Evangelical Free churches; our churches donate over $90,000 per year to keep the camp running. Camp actually costs Hidden Acres over $300 per camper to attend.
I know of child care for small babies over $200 per week; I know of day sports camps for young people to be over $300 per week. Raising a family is expensive; it is estimated that it costs an urban family over $225,000 per child to raise them up to age 18; with no financial return on their investment. A farm kid will generate over $125,000 income for the farming parent through labor on the farm; we all need to move back to the farm!!
Know this parents! No child should stay home because mom and dad can't swing the entire bill; we want every child to have an opportunity to attend camp. Our churches have been so faithful in providing help for campers. Hidden Acres can help some too. We want everyone boy and girl to experience a week of camp where they can be challenged in their faith, where they can be encouraged in their walk, and where life time friendships can be started.
You have to trust the parent of 4 kids who attended Hidden Acres all their lives; much good fruit was produced in their lives because of their weekly treks to camp.
earldtaylor@yahoo.com
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